Shakira fans attending the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer’s upcoming performances at MetLife stadium shouldn’t rely on NJ Transit for transportation.
“Due to the potential rail service stoppage, NJ TRANSIT will not be operating train or bus service to MetLife Stadium for the Shakira concerts on May 15th and 16th,” the transit service posted on its website Monday afternoon.
Officials earlier warned on the NJ Transit website that “there may be a NJ TRANSIT rail service disruption” due to an an impending strike by union engineers.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) planned to negotiate with the state-owned transportation company Monday in Washington, D.C. If no deal is reached by Friday, a lockout or strike could begin at 12:01 a.m., the BLET said on its website.
The union claims its 450 members “are the lowest-paid locomotive engineers at any of the major passenger railroads in the United States” and have gone six years without a raise.
Shakira said on the “Tonight Show” last week she was excited about kicking off her first U.S. stadium tour Tuesday. She’ll perform in New Jersey on Thursday and Friday night.
NJ Transit advises New Yorker attending Shakira’s New Jersey shows that Coach USA buses will run between Port Authority and MetLife Stadium for passenger with advance tickets. It’s suggested fans who prefer to drive should carpool and arrive early to avoid commuter traffic. Drivers dropping off concertgoers are encouraged to find parking and stay onsite “to avoid extremely heavy traffic at pickup.”
Travel delays by road and rail will surely be unwelcomed by Garden State residents also dealing with air travel issues. Troubles as Newark Airport first arose on April 28 when a pair of air traffic control systems stopped functioning correctly. The airport has said it’s also dealing with staffing shortages.
Originally Published:
